Valve.



UNTTE STATEp JAMES A. LAWLER, OF RUSHVILLE, ILLINOIS.

VALVE Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented March 2, 1909.

Application filed October 16, 1907. Serial No. 397,738.

T 0 all whom it may concern:

Be it known that 1, JAMES A. LAWLER, citizen of the United States, residing at Rushville, in the county of Schuyler and State of Illinois, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Valves, of which the following is a specification.

The present invention relates to an improved valve which is adapted for use in connection with both high and low pressure and which can be readily operated and is peculiarly designed so as to break and dissolve scale, thereby rendering it particularly desirable for use as a blow off valve for steam boilers.

The obj eot of the invention is to design a valve in which novel means is provided whereby the valve member can be contracted or expanded through the medium of the operating stem, thereby enabling the valve to be loosened for the purpose of turning the same and to be subsequently expanded into a close engagement with the valve casing in such a manner as to positively prevent all leakage.

For a full description of the invention and the merits thereof and also to acquire a knowledge of the details of construction and the means for effecting the result, reference is to be had to the following description and accompanying drawings, in which:

Figure 1 is a longitudinal sectional view through a valve embodying the invention, the same bein shown in an open position. Fig. 2 is a simi ar view showing the valve in a closed position, the handle being removed. Fig. 3 is a transverse sectional view on the line 33 of Fig. 2. Fig. 4 is a detail perspective view of the central post.

Corresponding and like parts are referred to in the following description and indicated in all the views of the drawings by the same reference characters.

In the embodiment of the invention shown in the drawing the numeral 1 designates the valve casing which is provided upon opposite sides with the coupling ends 2 leading into the valve chamber 3, the said valve chamber being of approximately cylindrical formation and disposed at right angles to the coupling ends 2. Operating within the chamber 3 is a rotary plug formed in two complemental sections 4, the said sections being shown as of semi-cylindrical shape. These sections have their meeting faces cut away at 5 and the said cut away portions cooperate with each other to forma transverse o Jenmg through the valve plug which is de signed to establish communication betweenthe coupling ends 2 when the plug is turned to open the valve. The meeting face of each of the valve sections 4 is also formed with a longitudinal groove or seat 6, the said seats gradually increasing in depth toward the base of the valve sections and cooperating with each other to receive a central post 7 the sides of which flare outwardly toward the base so as to impart a wedge formation to the post.

it will be observed that the post 7 has an opening 8 formed therein designed to register with the opening formed by the cut away portions 5 of the valve members and thereby permit an unobstructed flow through the valve when the plug is rotated to open the same. The lower end of the central post 7 is provided with a pivot stud 9 received within a bearing 10 at the base of the valve chamber 3 while the upper end of the post is provided with a valve stem 11 extending through the cap 12 applied to the open end of the valve chamber 3 and having a handle 13 of the conventional construction applied thereto. Owing to the wedge-shaped formation of the central post 7 it will be readily apparent that by moving the same longitudinally the valve sections 4 can be forced apart or drawn together and the valve plug thereby expanded or contracted so as to fit loosely or tightly within the valve chamber as may be found desirable. "V'Vith the present construction when it is desired to rotate the plug for opening or closing the valve the stem 11 is pressed inwardly to permit the valve sections to come together, while after the valve has been set in the required position the stem 11 is pulled outwardly and the valve sections thereby forced into a close engagement with the walls of the valve chamber. In the resent instance removable plates 14 are p aced in the seats 6, the extremities of the plates being bent laterally as indicated at 14 to engage the upper and lower ends of the valve sections for the purpose of holding the plates against longitudinal displacement when the central post 7 is moved. These plates 14 can be readily replaced by thicker or thinner plates as may be required and compensation thereby readily made for wear upon the valve members and central post. Bearing against the upper ends of the valve members 4 is a washer 16 and interposed between said washer and the cap 12 is a coil spring 17 which operates to normally hold the valve sections in position within the valve chamber and to prevent the same from' being withdrawn therefrom when the central post is moved outwardly. Owing to the peculiar construction of the rotatable valve plug it will be readily apparent that the valve can at all times be easily operated and after being set in the required position can be eX anded into a close engagement with the wal s of the valve chamber in such a manner as to avoid all leakage. It may also be again mentioned that this'valve is adapted to break and dissolve scale and that it will therefore be found particularly desirable for use as a blow off valve in connection with steam boilers.

Having thus described the invention, What is claimed as new is:

In a valve, the combination of a casing provided with a cylindrical chamber open at one end, a rotary plug mounted within the chamber and formed in complemental seinicylindrical sections provided upon their meeting faces with cut away portions cooperating to form a transverse opening through the plug and also with longitudinal grooves which increase in depth toward the base of the plug, a post received within the grooves and having the sides thereof flared outwardly toward the base for cooperation with the grooves to force the plug sections apart or permit them to come together, the said post being provided with an opening registering with the before. mentioned transverse opening through the plug, a cap closing the open end of the before mentioned chamber, a spring interposed between the cap and the plug sections for holding the latter against longitudinal movement, and a stem projecting upwardly from the post and passing slidably through the cap, the said stem constituting means for raising and lowering the post to permit of the plug being expanded and contracted and also for rotating the post to turn the plug.

In testimony whereof I affix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

JAMES A. LAW LER. 

